


I'm an asshole for you

by frominsideacomputer



Category: Phandom/The Fantastic Foursome (YouTube RPF)
Genre: Enemies to friends AU, KickTheStickz - Freeform, M/M, Phan - Freeform, Year 13, school au
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-09-03
Updated: 2015-09-03
Packaged: 2018-04-18 20:28:12
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,145
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4719353
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/frominsideacomputer/pseuds/frominsideacomputer
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Dan and Phil have hated each other since day one, but that changes during a drama lesson</p>
            </blockquote>





	I'm an asshole for you

“Hey Howell! D’you get your gran to style your hair? It looks fucking stupid!” First day in year 13 and Dan was hoping Phil would have had to have moved. But no. As always, Dan was greeted with a rude remark by Phil Lester.  
“Thanks, she was using yours as inspiration!” But then Dan was always prepared with a snarky reply.

Dan pushed the door open to his form room and went to sit down in his usual seat, next to his best friend Chris. But when he got there, Phil and his friends were sat in their row.  
“Lester, you’re on our row.” Dan said, being joined by Chris. They stood staring at Phil and Jack, arms crossed and wearing scowls.  
“What you going to do about it Howell?” Phil replied, leaning back in the chair.  
They might have been worst enemies, but they had never actually gotten into a physical fight. They weren’t those type of people.  
“Sit somewhere else I honestly don’t care.” Dan shrugged, he knew Phil would have expected a sarcastic retort, but the lack of one would have thrown him.  
“Did you just walk away from what could have been the first Howell versus Lester verbal fight of the year? Come on I’ve just had six weeks of nothing and you walk away from one now.” Chris whined as they sat down two rows behind Phil and Jack.  
"You haven't realised we can flick stuff at the backs of their heads and not get yelled at from here." Dan raised his eyebrows and it suddenly dawned on Chris. "There we go, keep up Chris, we're doing our a-levels now, I've spent the summer working out new ways to piss off Lester."  
"Someone say my name?" Phil's head spun around, a scowl deeply ingrained on his face.  
"Yeah, just discussing the people in our year who have a third nipple." Dan called back.   
"Well, at least there isn't a small earthquake every time I step." Phil smirked and turned away.   
"You didn't deny the third nipple." Dan said, just as their tutor, Mr Shaw, walked in.

"What's this about a third nipple?" He asked, sitting behind the desk at the front.  
"Lester has a third nipple sir." Chris giggled, almost unable to contain himself. Dan rolled his eyes and sighed heavily. It wasn't that he didn't like Chris, it was just that Chris was very clingy and rarely left Dan's side. He also had the mind-set of a year nine and found anything funny.   
"Well Phil, would you like to share with the class?" Mr Shaw asked, eyebrows raised so high they almost disappeared into his hair line.   
"No sir." He mumbled and turned around to mouth 'I will end you' at Dan, who flicked a piece of rubber at him. 

And so, tutor time continued. Dan flicked stuff at Phil's head whilst the notices were read out. Phil was resisting the urge to get up and slap Dan, but he wasn't really that kind of person.   
The bell rang and Dan wandered off to media, Chris went to sociology, Jack to physics and Phil to English. 

Dan sat for one hour trying to make friends with the people in his class but it seemed like Phil had already won them over and they ignored Dan.  
But in English however, Phil was almost having similar luck in making friends, because Dan had also done some recruiting of his own and the other English students completely blanked Phil.  
They both hoped that they'd have at least one friend in drama next.  
The bell rang and Dan trudged from media across to the drama studios. He grumbled something about being glad he'd chosen drama and so forth.  
Except, when he go into the studio, there were only three other people in there - including the new drama teacher - Phil and some girl named Louise. 

Dan and Phil have each other looks which could have frozen the toes off a polar bear. Dan dropped his bag in the corner and sat on the floor behind Phil.  
"Miss, are there more people coming?" Phil whined.  
"Yes, there are another two boys and another girl." She replied, checking the register.   
All three students stared at the door, waiting for someone else to come in and break the horrific silence that surrounded them.   
Louise had been friends with both Dan and Phil, so she didn't know who to talk to first. But then the door burst open with three other people.   
Felix, Evan and a new girl who they didn't know.   
The two boys took a quick glance at the group then looked at each other like they knew the apocalypse was coming. Which, to be honest, wasn't far off. Putting Howell and Lester in a room together probably would have ended in nuclear war if you left them long enough. 

"Right guys, so everyone is here," the new teacher stood up, getting their attention. "I'm Miss McKay, the new drama teacher. I know your names from the register, but I don't actually know who is who, so can we just go around and introduce ourselves. Let's start with you." She pointed at Felix, who introduced himself, then Evan, then Louise, then the new girl who was called Zoe, then Phil, and finally Dan.   
"Great, thanks you guys. I want to start with some basic pair work, so pair up with someone. Umm, Felix and Evan, Louise and Zoe, and Dan and Phil."   
There was a collective tense from everyone except Miss McKay. Zoe had been in this school for an hour and she already knew about the rivalry.   
"Is there a problem?" Miss McKay asked.  
"No miss." Dan strained out.  
"Okay, I'd like you guys to work on different emotions. So be opposites of each other. Like, if Felix was happy, Evan would be sad. Then swap and change emotions so you all get a go."  
"Miss? Can Dan and I use the other studio? I'd like not to have any other background noise?" Phil asked pouting a little.   
"Pretentious little git." Dan muttered but stood up and followed Phil into the studio next door. 

"So you've got me alone? What do you want to do to me?" Dan said, feigning attraction.  
"You know, I've never liked you Howell." Phil went and sat on one of the tables in the corner.  
"No? Really? I would never have guessed."  
"But like, not even from the moment I met you on the first day of year seven  I just hated your guts."   
"Well, looks like the feeling is mutual." Dan spat back.   
"But, we better get on, I'd like not to fail drama a-level."   
"Fine, let’s start easy. What comes easy to me about you? Ooo I know, hate!" Dan smirked but Phil's face dropped.  
"Opposite of hate? It's love you fucker." Phil jumped off the table and sauntered over to Dan.  
"Good thing I'm gay then." Dan blurted out, he hadn't actually told anyone yet and Phil wasn't first on his list.  
"Really?"  
"Yeah." Dan bit his lip and avoided Phil's gaze.   
"Well, this is a surprise."  
"I know we haven't exactly been besties, but please don't tell anyone. I get enough shit from you and I couldn't deal with anymore from the homophobes in our year." Pleaded Dan.  
"I might hate your guts, but I'm not a complete dick."   
"Thanks, now let's move on and do some drama."   
"We can do a different emotion if you want?" Phil shrugged.

"What's this? Lester's being nice to me? Have I fallen into a parallel world?" Dan pretended to swoon.  
"Fuck you, you nipple."   
"Started already then."   
"I just can't stand being in the same room as you!"  
"Oh but Phil, you're just so perfect. The sky always seems grey when you open your eyes, because all the blue is in them." Dan spewed.  
"You know what, I don't hate you, I despise you." Phil spat.  
"But I love you. I love the way you hate me. I fell in love with your hatred for me and I can't live without you." Dan tried to force himself to cry but ended up looking like he was bursting for the toilet.   
"You look like you really need a shit Howell." Phil laughed, breaking character.   
"Yeah, I was imitating your normal expression." Dan relaxed.   
"Want to swap?"  
"Sure."   
"Oh Dan, I'm so in love with you." Phil dropped to his knees and grabbed Dan's hands, pulling them close to his face.   
"Eurgh, get off me!" Dan pulled his hands away and stepped back. "You disgust me, your face is repulsive and you are like the polar bear to my Sahara desert." Dan spluttered out.  
"Weird analogy but I'll go with it," Phil muttered. "But the Sahara sand blows around the world, it could even reach the polar bears. You could always be with me." Phil pouted and stood up.  
"Ew, I'd rather spend a day with Donald Trump than with you." Dan growled.

Phil mock-fainted in shock and there was a heavy thud when he hit the floor.   
"You alright?" Dan asked, although this was his worst enemy, he still didn't really want him to get hurt.   
"I don't think so?" Phil mumbled, not moving.  
"Phil?" That was the first time Dan had actually used his name out of drama context.   
"I think I need a glass of water." Phil sat up slowly, his face paler than it already was.   
"Oh god, Lester you're bleeding." Dan suddenly noticed a spot of red on the floor.  
"Shit." Phil touched the back of his head and felt a damp spot.   
"Medical room?" Dan suggested, helping him up.   
"Please." 

They rushed through the other drama studio, Dan yelling 'medical emergency' to the teacher on the way. Once Phil was there, the receptionist (and first aider) looked at his head but upon deciding he cut wasn't too deep, cleaned it and gave Phil an ice pack to hold on the wound. However she did advise Dan to stay in the medial room with him, just whilst he recovered.  
"Aww but miss..." He whined, wanting to get back to drama.  
"Stay, I need someone here if he faints." She ordered and closed the door behind her.   
"You know I still hate your guts right?" Phil said, holding the ice pack.  
"I'd honestly be shocked if you didn't." Dan shrugged and got out his phone, texting Chris about Phil's accident. They sat in an awkward silence for a while, neither really wanted to start a conversation but neither was enjoying the silence. It was better when they were throwing insults at each other.   
"I'm feeling better." Phil said, standing up and moving the ice pack. He also checked his head and the bleeding had stopped.   
"Sure?"   
"Yeah, the bell will go in a minute and I've got a free next so I'll can sit and rest." Phil followed Dan out the door and they went to get their bags.  
"Me too. I'll keep an eye on you."   
"I thought you hated me?"  
"Not to extent of wanting you to die."   
They got into the drama studio and found the class staring at them when they arrived.

"What happened?" Miss McKay asked, worry plastered her face.  
"Just a minor head injury, nothing to worry about." Phil shrugged and picked up his bag.   
"Miss can we go early, we need to tell the receptionist where we've gone?" Dan asked.  
"Sure boys, go ahead." She waved them out the studio.  
As they walked next to each other on the way down the sixth block and common room, the bell went and other students emerged from their classes. 

The ones who knew about the 'relationship' between Dan and Phil were shocked to see them walking side by side, both alive and not insulting each other. Fellow sixth formers stared open-mouthed when they walked into the common room together.

But as soon as they saw their own friends, they split like a hot knife through butter.  
"What was that about?" Chris asked.  
"I texted you." Dan shrugged checking his phone to make sure it had sent.   
"Oh yeah, sorry. Been a bit distracted." He looked behind Dan at a boy leaning against the wall, listening to music.   
"Really? He's your type? Huh." Dan shrugged and suddenly realised he hadn't followed Phil up about what he'd accidentally told him earlier. 

Dan checked his phone and discovered, much to his surprise, that he did have Phil's number and he sent him a short text. 'Don't tell anyone about the thing.'   
Phil replied almost instantly 'dw it's none of my business'. 

The day continued and soon Dan finished in his last lesson of the day - Psychology - and he headed home. When he got home, he did some work, had some dinner, scrolled through the Internet and went to bed. 

When he walked through the school gates the next morning, something was different. He couldn't put his finger on it, but something was missing. His eyes suddenly widened as he realised he hadn't had a shitty insult thrown at him. Looking to his left he saw Phil stood alone, staring straight back at him. 

"You not gonna insult me this morning?" He called.  
"Not in the mood." Phil shrugged and turned away.   
"You feeling alright Lester?" Dan was shocked that Phil didn't want to insult him.   
"Yeah, fuck off you panty sniffer." Phil snapped.  
"And so begins the morning." Dan muttered and went to form.

"Chris, is it bullying if they do it back?" Dan asked, wondering about something.  
"I don't think so." He mumbled, texting someone.  
"Who you texting?" Dan snatched his phone. "Who's PJ? Wait, is he the new kid? The one you were distracted by yesterday?"   
"Maybe..."  
"Something going on between you two?" Dan asked, handing Chris back his phone.   
"No..."  
"But you want there to be," Dan confirmed. "Chris, don't get too attached, he might not play for that team. Remember what happened with Theo."   
"Oh, it's okay, I already checked."   
"Wow, okay someone's been eager." Dan shrugged and put his headphones in whilst he did some geography work.

But mid-way through Sugar we're going down, he felt a tap on his shoulder and looked up to see Phil and Jack stood there with their arms crossed.  
"You're in our seats." Phil growled.  
"Are we? But if we're going by yesterday's logic, then we shouldn't have to move and you can sit somewhere else." Dan and Chris were sat in their seats from the previous morning, which he had suddenly realised were Phil and Jack's normal places.  
"Move Howell."   
"Move Howell yourself." Dan grumbled and turned back to his geography.  
"Fine then, I will." Phil placed his hands on the back of Dan's chair and dragged him out of the way.   
"If I put wheels on the bottom of my seat can you do this all around school? My legs get tired so easily." Dan stood up and was about two inches from Phil's face.  
"Don't forget Howell, I can ruin your life with what you told me yesterday." Phil growled.  
"Oh good lord," Dan mocked fear. "Whatever will I do?"   
"You're on your last warning Howell." Phil snarled and turned away.  
"I'm on warnings now? It's like being back in year seven." He sat back down and pulled his chair in, getting a death glare from Jack.  
"You're such an ass." Chris laughed.  
"You were scared shitless I could tell." Dan laughed and got on with his geography. 

He didn't have a drama lesson that day, so didn't have to put up with Phil. But they did have free periods at the same time and the common room was empty apart from them and a few others. The glares they kept sending each other could have been used as weapons to end the world.

But then Dan stopped glaring and began giving sneakier and softer looks across to Phil. He didn't know what it was about him, but there was something he found, and although he didn't want to admit it, kind of attractive. 

Little did Dan know, but Phil had seen Dan giving him these looks and found it somewhat cute. Phil had never admitted to it, but he'd had a crush on Dan since like year ten. But with a 'worst enemies' reputation to keep up, he had pushed it to the back of his mind. 

Then when Dan had accidentally come out to him, it had brought back that feeling, and then wen Dan had helped him after he cut his head, his feelings were stronger than ever. 

Dan had a media lesson next, but Phil was still free. As he walked past Phil, they looked at each other like the apocalypse. But just as he reached the door, Dan took a quick glance back at Phil. 

When Dan walked through the gates, Phil wasn't even there to throw an insult at him. He almost liked being insulted every morning, it kept him on his toes, but this was weird, this was empty and he didn't like it. There was no issue with the seats in form and Phil barely said a word to him. 

They had drama first and Miss McKay put them into the same groups as before. There was a collective 'oooo' but Dan and Phil shrugged it off.   
"Sure, can we go in the other studio again?" Dan asked, part of him wanting to be alone with Phil.  
"Yeah, but let me explain what you're doing. Yesterday, you did opposite emotions, now I want you both to do the same one, but really intense versions of it. I want to see you guys use your full potential so I can cast you for the Christmas show." 

Phil followed Dan into the other studio where they both stood awkwardly.  
"You're not gonna faint on me again are you?" Dan laughed.  
"Don't plan to, oh and by the way, thanks for helping me the other day." Phil replied.  
"It's alright, but I guess we better get cracking then. Want to start easy? Dislike?" Dan suggested, yet he really wanted to do something else. Part of him didn't want to hate Phil anymore, because he thought he'd developed a crush on him.   
"Too easy...let’s do something like...love..." Phil mumbled, slightly sarcastically but Dan jumped at the chance.   
"Sure, we're actors, why not?"   
"Don't you go getting all gay on me Howell." Phil giggled, but was kinda delighted.   
"Don't give me the chance Lester."   
"Dan? I didn't think you'd been back so soon?" Phil suddenly dropped into character and came running up to Dan.   
"I couldn't live without you," Dan stared lovingly into Phil's eyes and put his hands on Phil's arms.   
"But why did you come back? I thought you were marrying her?"   
"I don't love her Phil. I love you. I always have." Dan surprised himself that he managed to keep a straight face.   
Phil suddenly got very close to Dan and they were only millimetres away from each other's lips. The same tension from the previous day was there, yet this time it wasn't angry, it was weirdly sexual. They both could feel it, but neither moved to get rid of it.  
"I know," Phil whispered. "I love you too." He didn't know what it was that made him do it, but some gut instinct made Phil pull Dan into a kiss and push him up against the wall. 

Dan was shocked, and part of him wanted to push Phil away, yet a larger part of him liked it and he pulled Phil closer. Phil's eyes were already closed and Dan quickly shut his. Kisses weird if you kept your eyes open because you had to look at the other person eating your face off and that's not something anyone really wants to see. 

The kiss then went on too long for it just to be part of the exercise and they both surprised themselves that they kept kissing each other. But then the sound of the door opening made them pull apart and Phil leaped about three metres across the room. 

"You guys ready for me to watch yet?" Miss McKay came in.  
"Give us like fifteen more minutes." Dan said sheepishly.   
"Sure." She closed the door behind her.   
"So, that happened." Dan blushed.   
"Yeah."   
"You're a good kisser."   
"So are you." Phil blushed like a raspberry.   
"Want to go again?" Dan suggested, smirking at Phil.  
"God yes." Phil almost flew across the room and back over to where Dan was stood against the wall. 

Their lips collided and Dan's hands wrapped around Phil's neck, Phil arms went around Dan's waist, pulling him tighter.   
"You know I've wanted to do this since year 10." Phil muttered between kisses.   
"You're cute you ass." Dan mumbled, gigging a little.   
"We should do some work." Phil said, pulling away from Dan.

"Sure, but if you've wanted to do this since year 10, why were you such a dick to me?"   
"I didn't want to come out, and I had a reputation to keep up. We both did. The 'Howell v Lester' war wouldn't have worked if I was head over heels in love with you."   
"I guess, now we need an emotion to use."   
"Hate can work." Phil shrugged and they practised hating each other again. 

"I can't believe you're back already!" Phil screamed.  
"I can't believe you're still here, I wanted you out. But no, always here. Every time I open my eyes, you're just there." Dan said, his voice low and aggressive.   
"You told me you liked me, that you wanted me to stay."  
"That was months ago, before I realised the absolute diarrhoea apocalypse you were."  
There was a knock at the door and Miss McKay came in. "Can I see you guys?"   
"Sure. From the top?" Dan asked Phil.  
They re-enacted the first part of their improvised piece.   
"...you were."   
"Diarrhoea apocalypse? That's a good one, especially coming from the Lord of Assholes himself." Phil growled.  
"At least being Lord of Assholes means I have power, you're just a load of shit." Dan spat, malice dripping in his voice  
"I guess I am, but I didn't marry queen of the bitches." Phil snarled, coming close to Dan.  
"She's only a bitch because you're still in love with me."   
"So what? So what if I'm still in love with you? Why does that matter?"   
"Because you're ruining my life." Dan turned away, blinking as if to hold back tears.   
"Oh my god, boys that was incredible, maybe less swearing next time, but still great," Miss McKay stood up and applauded them. "You can be Edmund and Peter, you guys can choose who's who."   
"Thanks miss." They replied in unison and she left smiling.

"You're good at hating me." Dan smirked.  
"Years of practise." Phil giggled.

The bells then went and they went off to separate classes. But throughout geography, Dan's thoughts were not of population growth and life expectancy, but of the kiss with Phil and how it had 'awoken something inside of him'. 

He texted Phil, who was in history, with _'Wanna come over this evening?_ '  
Phil replied almost instantly with _'Sure, straight after school?'  
'Yeah, meet me round the corner from school, on Manchester Road'_    
_':)'_  

Dan didn't say 'meet me at the gates' because he didn't really know where this was going. He didn't really know if he wanted people to know they got along quite yet.   
The final bell rang and Dan dashed to the corner of Manchester Road, he alone waited for a while, watching people come out of school, but gradually the numbers decreased and Phil appeared, smiling. 

"Hey," Dan said, smiling a little. "This is probably the strangest thing I've ever done."   
"Yeah, me too." Phil laughed.   
"So I'm down this way." Dan turned and they walked along the road in an awkward silence.   
"So...erm...you do media right? Isn't that new kid PJ in your class?" Phil said.  
"Yeah. I haven't spoken to him."   
"Chris has a thing for him doesn't he?"   
"How did you know?" Dan scowled.  
"A) I heard you yelling in form yesterday and b) Chris doesn't stop talking to Dean about him during history. Like I swear I know more about PJ goddam Ligouri than about the actual topic our exam is on."   
"Yeah, I'm just worried he'll get his hopes up and have them crushed somehow."   
"I get that." Phil mumbled sadly.

They walked together in silence again, until finally they reached Dan's house.   
"This is me," Dan unlocked his front door and gestures for Phil to come in behind him. "Dad? Mum? Luce? Anyone?" At the lack of an answer Dan shrugged and hung his bag over the banister. Their house wasn't tiny, but it wasn't a mansion either. It comfortably fitted Dan, his parents, his sister and their dog. Phil was still in shock that he was actually in Dan's house. 

"Hey, do you want a drink?" Dan had wandered into the kitchen, followed by Phil who was staring at everything.  
"You have seen a kitchen before?"   
"Sorry, yeah, it's just weird being here, like I hated you since year seven, then had the biggest crush on you in year ten, then went back to hating you because it was easier and now I've made out with you twice in the space of one day." Phil remarked, sitting down on one of the stools.  
"God, yeah, that's fucking weird. I've gone from hating you, to hating you, to kinda liking you, to realising I had a massive crush on you and the only reason I was such a dick was to get your attention, to making out with you twice and then inviting you over." Dan got two cans of coke out the fridge and threw one to Phil, but it had been shaken up too much so when he opened it there was a loud fizz and coke went everywhere. Including over Phil. 

"Oh shit." He looked down and realised he'd be sticky from now on.   
"Want a change of clothes?" Dan said, after recovering from laughing too hard.   
"Yes please." Phil did that thing people down when they get covered in something and walk awkwardly so it doesn't go anywhere else.   
Dan led him upstairs and into his room, which was surprisingly tidy.   
"Hold on," Dan rooted through his t-shirt drawer and pulled out a navy blue one with a cat on the pocket. "Here." He turned around to hand it to Phil, but froze in surprise when he saw that Phil had already peeled his sticky t-shirt off.   
"Well I was going to say, 'the bathroom is just to the left' but apparently you don't need it." He threw the top at Phil and flopped onto his bed. 

Once Phil had the top on, his eyes scanned around the room, looking at everything Dan had.   
"You've got some pretty cool stuff here."   
"My mum calls it clutter." Dan laughed, gesturing for Phil to sit down. Phil did sit down, but didn't see Dan's hand and squished it into the bed. "Ow! Whatcha tryna do, break me?" Dan put on a crappy New York accent.   
"Sorry." Phil pouted.  
"You're cute." Blushed Dan.   
"You're cuter."   
Raising his voice a little, Dan said "You're cuter!"  
"Why are we teenage girls?" Phil finished with.   
"Because we're assholes." Dan giggled. 

"But what is this?" Phil gestured to himself and then to Dan.  
"I don't know. If we started going out, which I wouldn't mind by the way, we couldn't tell anyone yet, they'd have heart attacks."  
"Then we don't tell anyone, not for a while at least. New year, new friends."  
"Do I have to still pretend to hate you?" Dan leant on Phil's shoulder.   
"Just a little bit, the odd sarky comment here and there. Keeps people awake." Phil rested his head on Dan's.   
"Okay, but what is  _this_? Are we going out?"

"Dan?"  
"Yeah?"  
"Will you go out with me?"  
"Yeah, what have I got to lose?" Giggled Dan.  
"You ass." 

They heard the door downstairs being opened and unlocked.   
"Any one home?" A girl’s voice called up.   
"Hey Luce!" Dan called back, walking out onto the landing. "Did you walk Colin?"  
"Just got back, whose coat is this?"  
"Chris's, he doesn't like it so he gave it to me." Dan called, gesturing for Phil not to make a sound.   
"Oh," She disappeared past the stairs and let Colin off the lead. "What time is mum back?" Dan heard her call.    
"Six? Dad should be back by now." Dan turned back into his room to see a confused Phil.

"Why am I suddenly non-existent?"   
"You know how I hated you, well from year seven to mince I basically wouldn't shut up about how much I actually fucking hated you. So my parents hate you too..." Dan bit his lip.  
"You absolute ass Daniel James Howell."   
"Whoa, wait, how do you know my middle name?" Dan could have sworn he hadn't told Phil.   
"It's on your door." Pointed Phil.   
"Oh. But yeah, my parents don't like you much, I mean, they probably will in time, but we can't really start going out yet. Or they can't know that."   
"But you'll tell then I'm not that bad?" Pouted Phil.  
"Sure, I'll start the conversation over dinner." Dan pecked Phil softly on the cheek.  
Phil blushed, but didn't pull away. "You're too fucking cute." He muttered and pulled Dan into a proper kiss.  
Dan's eyes widened in surprise, but he kissed back and simultaneously they pulled away from each other.  
"I better go." Phil stood up, picking up his sticky t-shirt and left.    
  
"Dan?" His mum poked her head around the door of Dan's room.  
"What?"  
"Who was that? I just saw him come out of our driveway? Tall, dark hair."  
Dan bit his lip, but told the truth, or some of it. "You know I've been worst enemies with Phil Lester since year seven, well he's in my drama class and we were put into a group together and it turns out he's not that bad." Dan shrugged.  
"I always knew you'd get over it. Also, now your dad owes me ten quid."   
"What!?" Dan exclaimed.   
"Dinner'll be ready in half an hour." She ignored him and shut the door behind her.

An half an hour later Dan wandered downstairs, and joined his family for dinner.  
"Dan, mum said you and Phil are friends now?" His dad said.  
"I wouldn't say friends, but he's not as bad as I thought." Shrugged Dan.  
"Is that whose coat it was?" His sister asked, poking him.  
"No, that's actually Chris's, but I don't get to keep it, apparently he wants it back." Dan lied again, but it was making his life easier.   
After dinner, Dan went back up to his room and spent the evening and most of the night messaging Phil. 

The next morning at school he passed Phil who was stood at the gates.   
An insult was thrown, a sarky reply was thrown back. But there was less malice behind their words. Neither of them meant it.   
In form they barely bothered each other and they didn't have any simultaneous frees so they only saw each other in passing.   
There were no drama lessons to have sneaky make out sessions in.   
They spent the day apart. 

The next day however, Phil absent-mindedly put on the t-shirt Dan had lent him and wore it to school. He arrived in form after Dan, who caught his eye and smiled a little.   
Phil sat down and took his coat off, there was a gasp from Jack and Charlie, who both recognised the top as the same one as Dan's.  
"Hey Howell?" Charlie called, he was a fairly neutral party in the old rivalry.   
"What?"   
"Don't you have this t-shirt?" Charlie pointed at Phil.  
'You fucking didn't' Dan thought, but had to pretend he hated Phil. "What you playing at Lester, hate me so much you've bought the same clothes as me? What is this a crap impression of me?" He called, standing up.   
Phil stood up too and they made eye contact across the room. "Maybe it is. What you going to do about it? Take the t-shirt off me?" Phil looked cross but a bit apologetic.   
"Maybe I will." Dan snapped. "What you lot looking at?"   
The clad who had been watching this like a tennis match all snapped their heads back down.   
'Sorry.' Phil mouthed and sat down. 

Double drama that morning, Dan and Phil were going to get their A-level assignments and get a chance to work on their ideas for it.   
Miss McKay put them into the same groups as before and Dan and Phil went into the empty studio next door.   
"You had to wear the fucking shirt didn't you?" Dan sighed, closing the door.   
"Sorry?" Phil squeaked.   
"How was I supposed to explain that?" I fucking hate you."  
"Do you really? Do you really fucking hate me?"   
"I really fucking like you." Dan sighed again, walking over to hug Phil.   
Phil wrapped his arms around Dan and squeezed gently.   
"I really fucking like you too, but we've barely done any work in drama this year and I want to get higher than an E."   
"Just a few more seconds." Dan mumbled and hugged Phil tighter.

Weeks passed, and suddenly Halloween was in four days, with the first sixth form social of the year being held this evening. Dan and Phil had managed to keep up their secret relationship until now. Dates out were the hardest though, they had to constantly keep an eye out for people from school and both had become accustomed to hiding in clothes racks or under cinema seats. 

"Can we please fucking tell them soon?" Phil whined, sitting on his bed whilst applying the appropriate amount of fake blood to be a vampire.  
Dan was stood looking into the mirror, trying to put enough hairspray in to have his hair stuck out sideways (mad scientist style). It was partially successful, but in the end he gave up.   
"Soon."  
"Why not tonight?"   
"Because everyone will be drunk and won't remember it." Dan sat down next to Phil and pulled on a white lab coat.   
"Pleeeeeeeeease." 

"Hey Phil! Jack's here? Can he come up?" Phil's mum called up to him.  
"Wardrobe! Now!" Phil shoved Dan off the bed and into the wardrobe.  
"Why am I going back in the closet?" He grumbled and pulled the door shut just as Jack walked in.   
"Hey man, you look awesome. Nice fake blood." Jack said.  
"Nice Spider-Man outfit you fucking nerd." Phil laughed.   
"Rude, ready to go?"   
Phil had forgotten he'd arranged to walk with Jack.

"Yeah, just give me a second. Do you want to wait downstairs?"  
"Umm, sure." Jack left looking suspicious.  
"Out the window, onto the shed, then onto the grass and through the hole in the hedge." Phil whispered to Dan who crept out of the wardrobe and onto the windowsill.   
"See you later." Dan whispered and kissed Phil softly on the cheek. 

Dan crept through the open window, shutting it silently behind him. He slid slowly to the edge of the shed roof and jumped off, landing on the damp grass. He could hear Jack and Phil's voice getting quieter as they got further away. Using his phone torch, he found the gap in the hedge and fell out onto the street. 

When he arrived, Phil was chatting to Charlie, who was checking tickets, and Dan had to pretend to hate Phil. There were about four people between him and Phil, so he knew what he could get away with.  
"Hey Lester! Could you move along please? There's a queue forming and, frankly, you're no more important than the rest of us!" It was painful to say now.   
Phil's head whipped around. "Well Howell, if you turned up earlier there wouldn't be a queue, but the chances of you arriving on time? I've seen pigs fly more often." He snapped and went inside. 

After Dan got in, he texted Phil with 'sorry x' and across the room they made eye contact, Dan smiled a little and Phil raised his eyebrows.   
"Who you looking at?" Chris - dressed as a ghostbuster - nudged him.   
"No one, just day dreaming." Dan said, trying to get heard over the thumping music.   
"You were, I saw you smiling. I bet it was Eliza you were smiling at. I mean, if I played for that team I certainly would." Chris winked, slightly tipsy.   
"You're fucking awful."   
"Actually I'm fucking PJ." Oh the things people come out with when they've had alcohol, Dan thought.  
"Good for you, go find him." Dan pushed Chris onto the dance floor.   
His phone buzzed and a text from Phil read 'Toilets' 

Dan stood up, catching Phil's eye as they both stood up. Not only were they both used to hiding in places, but they'd also developed a language using only eye contact. It meant things like 'you first' or 'I'll go'.   
Dan went to the toilets first, and was followed by Phil soon after.   
Charlie was in there when Dan got in, and he smiled at him, but upon seeing Phil come in too, he almost disappeared on the spot, not wanting to be stuck in the middle of a Dan v Phil. 

"All empty?" Phil asked as Dan kicked the doors of all the cubicles to check they were unlocked.   
"Yeah, come here." Dan pulled Phil towards him and their lips met.   
This kiss was weird, mainly for Dan because it tasted of fake blood and face paint, but it was also a little alcoholic and possibly overly passionate.   
"Dan?"   
"Yes?"  
"Can we tell them?"   
"No."  
"Please?"  
"No. Now go have a drink, have some fun, don't come anywhere near me." Dan pushed Phil out of the toilets first and he followed a little after. 

Chris was stood in the corner eating PJ's face off, everyone was very drunk, apart from Dan who'd only had three beers. Phil however was completely off his face, and was struggling to string a sentence together. 

There was a microphone on the stage, in front of the DJ, which Dan had his back to when he heard the sound of Phil through the speakers.   
"Oh fuck." He muttered and tried to leave but there were too many people around the doors. He shrank back into a corner, praying to anyone that this wouldn't concern him, but a nasty gut instinct said otherwise.   
"Heeello. Hello?" Phil slurred. "You all know Dan Howell riiiiiiight? Yeah...well...I used to...h...h...hate him reeeemember?" A few heads were turning whispering 'used to' and trying to find the hiding Dan. "Weeeell, not anymoooooore," Phil took a big breath. "I am goooing out...with Dan Howellllll. But sshhh don't tell him I told you, I wasn't supposed to." Phil sighed, a very drunken grin spread across his face. 

The crowd of people in the room went nuts, they all started talking at once, trying to find Dan.   
"I'm going to fucking kill him. He's going to be the reason I get arrested. He will be dead by the morning." Dan muttered angrily.   
But as the people in the room moved, Dan caught Jack's eye through the crowd and they looked at each other like it was a western shoot out. Dan squinted and slowly shook his head. Jack squinted too, looked up at Phil then back at Dan. He stood up, hands cupped around his mouth, and staring straight at Dan he yelled "HE'S OVER THERE!" His finger pointed at Dan like it was a shot gun. 

'I will end you' Dan mouthed, standing up. He sighed heavily and moved out of the corner. People started at him as he walked into the middle of the dance floor. He picked up the microphone from where Phil had left it on a table. 

"So," He began. "That happened."  
"Is it true?" Someone yelled from the back of the crowd.   
"Is it true? What a question. A good question. Phil, is it true?" He held the mic to Phil.  
"Is what true?" He slurred.  
"Good answer. But is it true? Who asked that? Felix? Was that you?"   
"Yeah!" Felix called.   
"Is...it...true? The answer to that my friends, enemies and others, you will get to find out after the break! Nah, I'm joking of course it's true. Now go back you your knitting!" He put the mic back on the table and joined Phil on the stage as havoc ensued.   
"WHAT THE FUCK!"  
"FUCKING HELL!"  
"I DIDNT EVEN KNOW THEY WERE GAY!"  
"DANIEL JAMES HOWELL!" Chris came storming up to his, closely followed by PJ.  
"Yes dear?"  
"Could have fucking told me."   
"I think you were a little busy doing other things." Dan nodded to PJ, who blushed.   
"Does this mean I have to be nice to him?"   
"'Fraid so. He's not that bad really." Dan shrugged. 

Suddenly realising he was exhausted, he went to go find Phil, who was staying over at Dan's that night.   
"Phil! Phil come on, we've got to get home." Dan grumbled, tugging Phil away from Jack, who scowled at Dan.  
"Heeeey Daaaan!" Phil wobbled as they walked through the crowds of people, who watched them like they were Beyoncé and Jay-Z.   
Dan followed a very drunk Phil home, and almost as soon as they got up to Dan's room, Phil collapsed on the bed, sound asleep. Although his face paint was mostly sweated off, and he was drooling a little, Dan had to admit Phil was cute when he slept.   
Dan sat in his bean bag and dozed off, dreaming of the party. 

He woke up the next morning, and Phil was still asleep, Dan sat and watched him wake up.   
"Morning sleeping beauty." He smiled.  
"What time is it?" Phil grumbled, hangover squeezing his head.  
"Nearly 10:30. How you feeling?" Dan handed Phil a glass of water which had been sitting in his room for god knows how long.  
"Fucking awful. I can't remember any of last night, except making out with you in the toilets."   
"Wait? You can't remember anything? Anything at all?" Dan's jaw dropped.  
"Oh no," exhaled Phil. "What did I do?"   
"Just check your phone." Dan handed it to him.   
'63 new messages, 11 people tagged you in different statues, 5 missed calls, Jack Howard and 104 other people like a status you're tagged in' is not something you want to see.

There was an uncomfortable silence whilst Phil checked through his phone, trying to get to the bottom of the havoc.  
"Oh."   
"Yeah."   
"I wasn't expecting that."  
"Mm hmm.” Dan raised his eyebrows.  
"Do you hate me?"  
Dan leant across and kissed Phil softly on the forehead.

"I used to." 

 


End file.
